Why Is My Dog Shaking? – Best Possible Reasons To Know
Dogs are very adorable. But, some of their behaviors can confuse us if we haven’t a clear idea about it. Your question; Why is my dog shaking, is also such a thing. This article is for exploring the best possible reasons behind god shaking.
Shake for show excitement
They often shake when dogs get very excited or know anything exciting is about to happen. You may have observed that your dog shakes when you play with them if they see something interesting on a walk or when they come to greet you and play around with you when you get home.
Younger dogs are more likely to shake when excited, which is a normal physical response to feeling too happy. If your dog occasionally shakes because it’s exciting, don’t worry. This shake should stop once the dog is calm again. When they are this ecstatic, trying to keep things a little more pleasant will help them to calm down and help to lessen their shaking.
When they feel cold
Dogs shiver when it is cold, just like we do. This kind of shivering is a natural way for them to get warmer. When your dog shivers, its muscles tighten and relax in a cycle. This helps the dog make heat and raise its body temperature.
Smaller dogs, thin dogs, and dogs with relatively thin coats may shake more in the cold though they lose heat faster. If your pet shivers when you take it for a walk, go home and look for a warm place to relax. If your dog tends to shiver, you might want to get it a coat or stockings to help it keep its body heat.
They may feel stress and Anxiety
It may be stressed if your dog shakes its whole body for no understandable reason, like getting a bath or rolling around in the dirt. Shaking is a well-known sign of stress in dogs. When your pet shakes after jumping off the table at the vet’s office or meeting a new person, he attempts to get rid of stress.
They may be in a pain
Any kind of pain, like bone pain or inner pain, can cause dog shaking. Shaking for pain can be widely seen among small dog breeds.If your dog is shaking and you don’t know why you should call your vet to ensure it’s not a sign of something more serious.
Ear Problems
Ear infections happen to all dog breeds. Basset Hounds, Labrador Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels, and Golden Retrievers are more likely to get ear infections, so their owners should watch out for excessive head shaking.
Your dog likely has an ear infection if he shakes his head after a shower or swimming. This shaking can cause more problems, like a hematoma in the ear.
When your dog gets wet, you should always dry its ears well. If your dog shakes its head more often than usual, check his ears gently to see if they are red, inflamed, dirty, or smell bad. If there are any of these symptoms, call the vet.
Weak muscles, being old and being tired
If your dog pet is shaking in one spot, mainly in their legs, it may be a sign that their muscles are tired or weak. Giving your dog some time to rest after a vigorous walk or run may help if they’re not used to getting that much exercise.
If your dog’s legs shake often, your vet could be able to tell you how to help them get stronger. Leg shaking is common in older dogs and could be a sign of weakness, but it could also mean your dog is in pain, has arthritis, or has joint pain.
When consuming poisons
Poisons can make your dog do different things, but some can make it shake, tremble, or twitch. Some notable poisons which can cause these side effects are:
- Chocolate
- Cannabis
- Caffeine
- Nicotine patches or cigarette butts
- Macadamia nuts
- Xylitol
- Slug baits made with metaldehyde
- Some moldy foods
A lot of the poisons on the list above may be extremely dangerous. If you think your dog used any of these things to poison your dog, you must take your pet to the vet immediately.
Low Blood Sugar
Shaking may be a sign that something has quickly changed in the blood. The AKC’s chief veterinary officer, Dr. Jerry Klein, says that shaking can be caused by low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. This is most likely to happen to small dog breeds and young puppies.
You can avoid hypoglycemia by giving your dog a healthy diet and feeding it simultaneously every day. But shaking can sometimes be a sign of another problem that needs to be diagnosed by your dog’s veterinarian.
Canine Distemper
A virus called “canine distemper” can make dogs shake and tremble. Most at risk are dogs and puppies who haven’t had their vaccines. The virus needs to take its course and is highly infectious, so you should keep the dog with the virus away from other dogs until the virus is destroyed.
The vet will treat the dog’s symptoms, and he or she may give the dog antibiotics to avoid secondary infections and keep the dog from dehydrating.
When to visit a vet
Most of the time, your dog may shake because of ordinary things like anxiety or weak muscles from getting old. But if it happens often and they have any other strange symptoms, they should definitely see a vet to rule out other diseases that could be life-threatening.
Some of the most common signs to look out for are:
- Weakness
- Incoordination
- Low hunger
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
Conclusion
If you are thinking, why is my dog shaking? There are many reasons to explore it. Some common behaviors include getting warm when cold and showing excitement or anxiety. But, dogs can shake for many different reasons, such as terrible health diseases like low blood sugar levels, poisoning, or a virus infection.
Want to know about more breeds…
Caucasian Shepherd – All the things you should know about the breed
0 Comments